Celebrate summer with desserts made with fresh fruit. Cutting back on high-fat, sugar-laden treats, like cakes, pies and brownies is a good idea, but no one wants to skip dessert all the time. Fresh melon chunks, sliced peaches, papaya and ripe berries give your meal a nutritional bonus and satisfies the sweet tooth. Here are some ideas for combining summer fruits with low-fat ingredients to make dessert special- go heavy on the fruit and light on the extras to keep it nutritious.
Summer favorites like cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon are sweet, juicy and flavorful enough for dessert right off the vine. Adding a scoop of sorbet or sherbet to a melon wedge along with a splash of raspberry syrup or lime juice turns fresh melon into a tasty dessert. Melons are virtually fat-free, low in calories and provide a good source of vitamins A and C. With only 50 calories per cup of melon cubes, they’re a nutritional bargain.
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries signify the peak of summer sweetness. Take advantage of their vibrant color and flavor to jazz up any fruit salad, or top a dish of mixed berries with a scoop of vanilla yogurt or whipped topping for a healthy treat. Sprinkled over frozen yogurt or layered with low-fat pudding they make a beautiful and great-tasting sundae or parfait. Berries average about 60-80 calories per cup. They’re an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber.
For a quick, appealing dessert surround a wedge of angel food cake with slices of fresh peaches or nectarines. Add a small scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt and top with fresh berries and a drizzle of lowfat chocolate syrup. Peaches and nectarines have only 50-65 calories each. They provide vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber.
The key to including dessert is to enjoy a treat without overloading on calories, fat and sugar. As with many things in life, moderation is key, so you’ll need to stop yourself before you overindulge. Try sensible portions; you can eat 1 slice of pie and still be in your calorie range for the day.
Not every chocolate cake or banana nut muffin is created equal. Look for desserts without a lot of butter, sugar or creamy frosting. Since feeling guilty can ruin a good meal, try some healthy alternatives instead of your “regular” desserts. I have included a few in this post for you to try.
Desserts for everyday:
- Low fat cookie
- Frozen 100% juice bar
- Fresh berries with low fat topping
- A one ounce piece of chocolate
- Frozen grapes
- Angel food cake
- Pudding made with skim milk
- Low fat ice cream or sorbet
- Fruit salad
- A fresh fruit smoothie
Some tips to baking healthy desserts:
- Egg substitutes or egg whites instead of whole eggs.
- Use applesauce or prune puree to replace half the oil or butter when baking to add moisture into your cakes and breads without adding more fat.
- Less sugar. A lot of recipes call for much more sugar than is needed. Cut back by 1/3. Sugar altenatives for baking are a good option also. You might even like it better.
- Fruit-based desserts. Although you still have to be careful, these desserts often have less calories and fat than other desserts.
Baked Peaches and Blueberries with Pecan Topping
Pecan halves form a top crust and provide crisp contrast to the soft fruit. Serve warm or chilled, on its own or with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh berries, picked over and rinsed
- 9 cups (loosely packed) peeled, pitted and sliced ripe peaches
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca (granulated or instant)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
Topping:
- 1 1/4 cups rolled (old-fashioned-not instant) oats
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
Directions:
Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
In a large bowl, mix together the blueberries and peaches (plus any juices they’ve released), tapioca, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
Combine the oats, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Distribute the pecans on top of the fruit in the baking dish and sprinkle the oat mixture over the nuts.
Set the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch spills if the fruit bubbles over.
Bake until the fruit is tender and the juices are thickened and bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes. If the nuts begin to get too dark before the fruit is done, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil.
Set on a rack and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Frozen Raspberry Tart
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup dark chocolate cookie crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 egg whites
- 2/3 cup sugar or sugar alternative for baking
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, strawberries, and/or blueberries
Directions:
Coat a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray; set aside.
For crust:
In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared tart pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Place raspberries in a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to extract as much of the mixture as possible (you will need about 1 cup). Discard the solids.
Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating about 3 minutes more or until stiff and glossy peaks form (tips stand straight).
Add about one-fourth of the egg white mixture to the raspberry mixture, whisking until smooth. Add the lightened raspberry mixture to the egg white mixture in the bowl. Using a whisk, gently fold together until no white streaks remain. Pour filling into crust; smooth the top. Cover and freeze for 8 to 24 hours.
To serve, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the sides of the tart pan. Cut into wedges. Garnish with fresh berries.
Almond-Tangerine Panna Cotta
4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup fat-free milk
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup tangerine sections (3 to 4 tangerines)
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cherries
Directions:
Place four 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins in a shallow baking pan; set aside.
In a small saucepan stir together 3 tablespoons sugar and gelatin. Stir in milk. Heat over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Whisk in yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract until smooth. Pour mixture into custard cups. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours or until set.
For sauce:
in a small saucepan stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pomegranate juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in tangerine sections, cherries and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Cool.
To serve:
Immerse bottom halves of custard cups in hot water for 10 seconds. Using a small sharp knife, loosen panna cotta from sides of cups. Invert a serving plate over each cup; turn plate and cup over together. Remove cups. Serve panna cotta with sauce.
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Yield: 36 bars
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup reduced fat butter alternative, such as Smart Balance
- 1-8 ounce package light cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar or sugar alternative for baking
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan and spray foil with cooking spray; set pan aside.
In a small saucepan stir together the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in blueberries and orange juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and set aside.
For crust:
In a large mixing bowl stir together the 2 cups flour and the powdered sugar. Cut in the butter alternative until fine crumbs form and mixture starts to cling together (mixture will still be crumbly). Pat mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer bowl beat cream cheese, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the 1 tablespoon flour until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Pour over hot baked crust, spreading evenly. Spoon blueberry mixture in small mounds over the cheese layer. Use a thin metal spatula or table knife to marble the mixtures together.
Bake for 20 minutes more or until center is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Remove uncut bars from pan by lifting foil to a cutting board.
Cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days. If desired, sift powdered sugar over bars just before serving.
Lemon-Cornmeal Pound Cake with Berries and Cream
16 servings
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or sugar alternative for baking
- 8 tablespoon butter or reduced fat butter alternative, softened
- 3 large eggs or 3/4 cups egg substitute
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 large egg whites
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for the pan
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, optional
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour.
To prepare cake:
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour with the next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl.
Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended; stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
Combine buttermilk and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl; beat at high speed using clean, dry beaters until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of the egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.
Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare topping:
Combine berries, honey and lemon juice. Chill 30 minutes.
Beat cream, if using, with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Serve cake with berries and cream.
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Whoever said fruit doesn’t count as dessert clearly needs to revisit this idea. Berry desserts can be just as satisfying as a piece of chocolate cake, if not better! Using fresh summer berries and healthful swaps, the dessert recipes below will satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your waistline. None of the recipes below are over 160 calories, providing you stick to serving sizes.
Summer berries are bursting with flavor and are packed with antioxidants that have been linked to stalling the aging process, protecting the heart and circulatory system and preventing mental decline. Mix berries into your morning yogurt, bake some into a pie or tart, experiment with savory recipes or eat them as a snack. There are so many ways to enjoy berries.
Health Benefits of Berries
When you read about all the health benefits from berries, you will want to add them to your menu everyday.
Loaded with vitamin C, blackberries also contain ellagic acid—an important phytonutrient that protects skin cells from damaging UV rays. Ellagic acid also prevents the breakdown of collagen in the skin that occurs as we age and is linked to wrinkling.
Blueberries are phytonutrient powerhouses. They contain: anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechins and salicylic acid. If the latter sounds familiar, you may recognize it as the drug we’ve come to know as Aspirin. That’s right—blueberries contain natural aspirin, but it comes in a delicious package by Mother Nature where there’s no worry about harmful side effects. What’s more, blueberries are proven to reduce proteins that are linked with some forms of brain disease, making them weapons in the prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as other neurological disorders.
Raspberries, like other berries, contain an important compound that is more effective at alleviating inflammation than aspirin. Containing the phytonutrient ellagic acid, raspberries can help protect against pollutants found in cigarette smoke and may neutralize some cancer-causing substances before they can damage healthy cells. They’re delicious on their own, in a fruit salad, in a smoothie or on top of a salad.
Not only do eight strawberries contain more vitamin C than an orange, they are antioxidant powerhouses. Whether you want to evade heart disease, arthritis, memory loss, wrinkling or cancer, these berries have proven their ability to help. Plus, they’re just so easy to get into your diet on a regular basis.
A cross between blackberries and raspberries, Loganberries strengthen blood vessels, making them an excellent addition to help fight heart disease and developing varicose veins. They contain rutin, which research shows strengthens capillaries and improves circulation. They look like long raspberries.
Gooseberries—the berries that resemble green grapes—help you to feel happier. In recent research in the Journal of Experimental Neurobiology, scientists found that gooseberries contain a flavonoid called kaempferol that prevents the breakdown of the brain hormones, serotonin and dopamine. These brain chemicals naturally help us fight stress and keep our spirits up.
Caring For Berries
By nature, summer berries are small, soft and delicate, so cleaning and storing them is much more of a challenge than, say, a hearty melon or stone fruits.
Only rinse berries right before you use them. Water increases the likelihood they’ll start to mold.
Don’t soak: Place them in a colander and rinse water, grntly, over them instead of fully submerging them.
Give them a quick chill: You know how sun-ripened, warm berries have that delightful softness to them? Well, that is what makes them taste so good, but it’s also what makes them incredibly delicate and difficult to wash. So a good tip is to refrigerate them for an hour or so, when you bring them home from the market. They’re easier to rinse when they’ve had a chance to firm up just a bit.
After washing berries, let them rest in a colander in the refrigerator or another container that allows some air circulation. This will help them dry more quickly than if just placed in a bowl.
Avoid the crisper: Berries won’t last long, if kept in the crisper because the air has a higher humidity and doesn’t circulate as much as throughout the rest of the refrigerator.
Blackberry Sauce
This rich blackberry sauce can be a topper for almost anything — ice cream or frozen yogurt, waffles or pancakes or angel food cake are just some of the options.
This sauce is easily doubled or tripled for company.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries or raspberries
- 4 tablespoons cranberry juice or apple juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine berries, juice, sugar and Worcestershire. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 8 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring often and mashing berries slightly with a fork. Serve warm or cool. Makes 8 -2-tablespoon servings.
Berry Pudding Cake
6 servings
Ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Dash salt
- 1 cup fat-free milk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups assorted fresh berries (such as raspberries, blueberries and/or sliced strawberries)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Lightly coat six 6-ounce individual quiche dishes with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until light and frothy. Whisk in milk until combined. Add flour and baking powder; whisk until smooth.
Divide berries among prepared quiche dishes. Pour batter over berries. (Batter will not cover berries completely.)
Bake about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm. If desired, sift a little powdered sugar over each serving.
Raspberry-Oatmeal Wedges
12 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups fresh red raspberries
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup reduced fat tub-style vegetable oil spread, such as Smart Balance
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 3/4 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed (optional)
- Fresh raspberries , optional
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add the 2 cups raspberries; toss to coat. Using a potato masher or fork, lightly mash berries; set aside for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom or a 9-inch springform pan or line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil and lightly grease the foil.
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, vegetable oil spread, baking soda and cinnamon; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg white. Beat in all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour until combined. Stir in oats.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the oat mixture. Press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or just until crust is starting to brown on the edges.
Spread raspberry mixture over partially baked crust. Crumble the reserved 1/2 cup oat mixture over the top of raspberry mixture.
Bake about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
If using the tart pan, remove side of the pan. If using the springform pan, run a thin metal spatula around the edge of the pan; remove ring. Cut into wedges to serve.
If using 8x8x2-inch baking pan, use foil to lift uncut bars from the pan; cut into bars. If desired, top individual servings with whipped topping and garnish with additional fresh raspberries.
Glazed Strawberry Pie
8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 recipe Oil Pastry for Single-Crust Pie, recipe below
- 6 cups strawberries
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Few drops vegetable red food coloring
- Fat-free frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
Directions:
Prepare Oil Pastry for Single-Crust Pie; prick bottom and sides of pastry generously with the tines of a fork.
Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Place 1 cup of the strawberries and the water in a food processor bowl. Cover; process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to boiling; simmer 2 minutes.
In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch; stir in berry mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in enough red food coloring to tint to a rich red color. Cool to room temperature.
Fold remaining strawberries into cooled mixture; pour into pastry shell, arranging berries so the point faces up. Cover; chill for 3 to 4 hours. Serve with whipped topping.
Oil Pastry for Single-Crust Pie
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fat-free milk
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or oil of choice)
Directions:
In a bowl stir together flour and salt. Combine milk and oil in a large measuring cup. Add milk mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until dough forms; form into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface slightly flatten dough. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Ease pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold under extra pastry; crimp edge as desired.
Berry Ginger Shortcakes
10 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 cups fresh berries (sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour or Eagle Brand Ultra Grain flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons healthy butter substitute, such as Smart Balance
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup refrigerated egg substitute or 1 egg
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 – 28 ounce container frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed
- 1/4 cup lowfat dairy sour cream
Directions:
In a small bowl combine the berries and the crystallized ginger. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degree F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
To prepare shortcakes:
In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine buttermilk and egg substitute or egg. Add to the flour mixture all at once, stirring just until mixture is moistened.
On a lightly floured surface pat the dough to 1/2-inch thickness and pat the sides into an even 10 inch square. With a sharp knife cut the dough into 10 equal sized rectangles. (You can also cut them out with a biscuit cutter, reroll the dough and cut out more biscuits. I prefer my method because it is quicker and doesn’t waste anything.)
Place shortcakes on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Cool the shortcakes slightly on a wire rack.
To serve:
In a small bowl combine the whipped topping and sour cream. Split shortcakes in half. Place bottoms on dessert plates. Divide the berry mixture among bottoms. Top each with some of the whipped topping mixture. Replace the shortcake tops.
Gluten Free Strawberry Cheese Tart
10 Servings
Ingredients:
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free almond meal or flour (or grind an equal amount of almonds)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons healthy butter substitute, such as Smart Balance, melted.
Combine almond flour, sugar and melted butter. Press into bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F and bake tart shell for 15 minutes or until evenly brown. Cool before filling.
Filling
- 1 package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Beat all the ingredients together until smooth with a hand held electric beater. Set aside.
Topping
Wash and dry 4 cups of fresh strawberries. Cut in half. You may need a little more depending on their size.
1/4 cup clear jelly, such as apple, warmed in the microwave.
Assembly
Spread filling in cooled tart shell.
Arrange berries on top of filling in a circular pattern, end to end (with the rounded side of each strawberry facing the pointed end). You will have three circles and then fill in the center. Or you can make an arrangement that you like. With a pastry brush, spread a little warm jelly over each strawberry.
Chill before serving.
Mocha Cake with Berries
12 servings
Serving 1 slice cake, 2 tablespoons topping, and 2 tablespoons berries
Ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
- 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 egg whites
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
- 1/2 of an 8-ounce container frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, blackberries and/or blueberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, the water and espresso powder. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture almost boils. Stir in the chopped chocolate until melted. Remove from heat.
Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually stir the chocolate mixture into egg yolks; stir in vanilla (mixture may appear slightly grainy). Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup cocoa powder, the flour and baking powder. Stir in chocolate-egg yolk mixture until smooth.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites. Spread in the prepared pan.
Bake about 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen and remove side of the pan. Cool completely. (Cake may fall slightly but evenly during cooling.)
To serve, cut cake into wedges. If desired, sprinkle dessert plates with additional cocoa powder. Transfer wedges of cake to dessert plates. Top with whipped topping and berries.
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As a child, I remember my father taking me with him when he went shopping on a Saturday morning, in what was, “the little Italy” neighborhood in our city. We would visit the Italian deli for cold cuts, Sorrento’s Bakery for bread, Sacco & Sons for sausage and a quick lunch trip to Spirito’s for a slice of pizza. I didn’t mind the excursion during the warm months because my father always bought me a lemon ice from one of the push cart venders. The neighborhood that I remember is no longer there, but eating lemon ice or sorbetto or gelato is timeless. The recipes for frozen ices and other Italian treats will keep you cool in the coming months, but light enough so you do not have to worry about the calories.
Gelato (Italian Ice Cream) has a very low butterfat content, which makes the flavors more intense on the tongue. In addition, less air is introduced into the mixture before it is frozen, creating a much more dense dessert that adds a surprising richness to the flavor. Gelato may be made with or without eggs, cornstarch or cream in its base and, frequently, has other ingredients such as fresh fruit or coffee added for flavor. I prefer to make gelato without raw eggs yolks, so another thickener, such as cornstarch, is needed. There are numerous recipes around but the best recipe, I found for this version, is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times. It is easy, healthy and offers many flavor ideas but does not sacrifice taste.
Gelato
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Ice Cream Maker
Put 2 cups milk, the sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If using a vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and scrape seeds into liquid, then add pod. Cook until mixture begins to steam.
In a bowl, blend cornstarch and remaining milk; there should be no lumps. Remove bean pod from pot and discard. Add cornstarch mixture to pot. Cook, stirring, until it starts to thicken and barely reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to very low and stir for 5 minutes or so until thick. Stir in vanilla extract, if using.
If mixture has lumps, strain it into a bowl. Chill for 2 hours. When cool or if there are no lumps, pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Yield: 1 generous pint.
Additions:
- Honey-Jam Variation – Substitute honey for half the sugar. Add 1/2 cup good jam to mixture before freezing.
- Yogurt-Substitute yogurt for half the milk.
- Cherry-Vanilla-Add 1 cup halved, pitted cherries just before freezing.
- Strawberry, Blueberry or Peach-Add 1 cup hulled, sliced strawberries, blueberries, or peeled and chopped peaches before freezing.
- Coffee-Substitute 1/2 cup very strong coffee for 1/2 cup milk.
- Coconut-Substitute 1 cup coconut milk for 1 cup milk; add 1/2 cup toasted dried coconut.
- Mint Chocolate Chip-Add 1/2 cup minced mint and 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate just before freezing.
Fresh Strawberries With Limoncello
Limoncello has long been a staple in the lemon-producing region of the Italian Amalfi Coast, especially in Capri and Sorrento. Authentic Limoncello is made from Sorrento lemons that are grown in that region. Families in Italy have passed down recipes for generations, as every Italian family has their own Limoncello recipe.
When my son and daughter-in-law returned from a trip to Capri several years ago, they brought me back a bottle. Until that time, I had never heard of the product. I find it compliments many fruit desserts or adds another dimension to fruity drinks. Bottles of limoncello should be kept in the freezer until ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 20 whole large fresh strawberries, cut into halves
- 1 tablespoon limoncello
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- fresh ground pepper
- Biscotti
Directions
Place cut strawberries in a bowl.
Pour over the liqueur, orange juice and sprinkle over with freshly ground pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Serve as is or with biscotti.
Citrus Sorbetto
Makes a perfect palate cleanser.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
- 1/2 cup orange juice, fresh
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of 1 lime
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Zest of 1/2 orange
Directions
Combine sugar and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil reduce and simmer just until the sugar is dissolved, let cool.
Stir together all the juices, zest and vanilla and add in the sugar syrup.
Chill syrup & juice blend in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
You may serve the sorbetto right away or store it in the freezer.
Ricotta With Berries
2 servings
Berries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 10 strawberries, hulled and chopped ( or sliced)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Ricotta
- 6 ounces skim ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto
- Garnish with mint leaves
Directions
Combine the berries with lemon juice and sugar. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Mix ricotta ingredients together. This may be done in a food processor, if a finer texture is desired.
Serve berries over a scoop of the ricotta and garnish with mint. Serving it in a martini or other decorative glass makes for a nice presentation.
Strawberry and Ricotta Crepes
Serves 4
The crepes can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer, so that you can pull this dessert together quickly. This recipe also makes more crepes than you’ll need for the servings below. Allow the extra crepes to cool, place waxed paper between them, stack and place in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
Other fresh seasonal fruits can be used instead of strawberries.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoons powdered sugar
- 2 cups (about 10 ounces) cleaned and sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 teaspoons agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
- Small pinch of salt
Crepes
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Measure all crepe ingredients and place into a blender; blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides. Blend for 15 seconds more. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. (This helps the flour absorb more of the liquids.)
Heat a crepe pan (or use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet). Lightly grease the pan.
Measure about 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Tilt the pan to spread the batter. Once the crepe has lots of little bubbles, loosen the edges with a spatula and turn the crepe over. The second side cooks quickly, so after about 15 seconds, slide the crepe from the pan to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter (yield: about 20 crepes).
Mix ricotta with powdered sugar. Set aside.
Mix strawberries gently with sugar, mint and salt. Set aside.
If the crepes were prepared earlier in the day or frozen and defrosted overnight, reheat them in the microwave for a minute or two until warm.
Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture on one half of each of 8 warm crepes and fold to cover. Place two crepes on each serving plate.
Top with strawberries, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Lemon Biscotti With Lemon Drizzle
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pistachio nuts
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- Cooking spray
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl.
Combine zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, lemon extract, oil and eggs. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until well-blended.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 to 8 times. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll.
Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the rolls from the baking sheet; cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch) slices.
Place the slices, cut sides down, on the baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F; bake for 10 minutes.
Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (the cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool).
Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.
Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice and powdered sugar; drizzle over the biscotti.
If you’re making enough to freeze, store them in the freezer without the drizzle, then make it just before serving.
Tangerine and Prosecco Sorbet
“Italian Champagne” – Prosecco is a sparkling wine made from late-ripening white grapes from the Veneto – Conegliano – Valdobbiadene region of Italy.
6-8 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cups chilled tangerine juice or tangerine orange juice
- 1 cup chilled Prosecco
- 1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine peel
Directions
Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil.
Transfer syrup to medium bowl and chill until cold, about 2 hours.
Add tangerine juice and Prosecco to syrup; whisk to blend well. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer sorbet to a freezer container. Cover tightly with a lid and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen. Divide sorbet among wine goblets or dessert glasses.
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